Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Genetic and Demographic Structure within Southeastern Alaska
Project ID: P12AC15004
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Oregon State University
Fiscal Year: 2012
Initial Funding: $89,969
Total Funding: $90,969
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Biological
National Park: Alaska Region
Principal Investigator: Baker, C. Scott
Agreement Technical Representative: Sharman, Lewis
Abstract: The purpose of the project is to take advantage of the unique database of humpback whales in southeastern Alaska (SEAK), and expand on it with new genetic data to investigate the genetic and demographic substructure within the SEAK population. To do this, we will utilize information obtained from long-term photo-identification studies and genetic data, integrated into a geneGIS framework. One aspect of the study will be to investigate potential relatedness of whales that have engaged in cooperative feeding together for many years, a phenomenon thought to be unique to SEAK. A second aspect of the work involves use of molecular genetics to determine the mechanisms (e.g., immigration of whales from elsewhere within SEAK, mothers introducing calves into Glacier Bay, etc.) by which Glacier Bay has been recolonized since the early 1980s. Genetic and demographic structure is essential to our understanding of this population’s ecology, life history, and evolutionary past. Identifying structure within populations of whales is an essential component of conservation and management, especially for understanding local impacts on the subset of whales that regularly use Glacier Bay National Park
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